Women Compared in A Doll's House

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The similarities of the motives behind the actions of both Kristine and Nora in A Doll's House could be used to compare the similarities of these two characters even though these characters are in reverse roles throughout this play by Henrick Ibsen. Kristine and Nora marry for money, use Krogstad, and learn a valuable life lesson. Therefore, the correlations of Kristine and Nora's motives demonstrate the similarities between these two characters.

Kristine does what she believes is right at the time by marrying Mr. Linde for money instead of marrying him because she loved him due to the fact that her mother was ill and she had two younger brothers who needed financial security for which Kristine herself is unable to provide, being a woman living during Victorian times. Even though Kristine stands behind her reasons for marrying Mr. Linde she has been left, for the past three years since her husband's death and subsequent loss of his business, taking care of her mother and brothers, ensuring their financial security. In that time, Kristine's mother passes away, her brothers become self-sufficient, and her husband dies leaving her nothing; no money, no children, "not even a broken heart to grieve over" (779). However, Kristine has yet to become bitter over her situation; instead she picks herself up and moves on by traveling to visit Nora in hopes of a brighter future. Nora also marries for money however; she does so for selfish reasons; as dictated by the society in which she resides, since a woman is seen in a subservient position during the Victorian Era. Nora was used to being spoiled and treated as Torvald's "doll wife, just as at home I was Daddy's doll child" (819). Therefore, Nora is not bitter over her situation and actually thrives in the knowledge of her secret over Torvald and, her perceived, subsequent brighter future. After ten years, Nora believes she has everything exactly the way she has planned it; enough money to repay her debt, Torvald's never finding out about the loan, and living happily ever after.

Kristine is informed, as she is already aware, that Krogstad was in an unhappy marriage and is now a widow. During act III, Kristine arranges for a meeting with Krogstad where she informs him that she is "like a broken woman clinging to the wreck of her life.

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